Solitary Sandpiper  (Tringa solitaria), Sweetwater Wetlands, Pima County

This long staying individual Solitary Sandpiper was photographed by Pat Goltz on 09 November 2011 and by Andrew Core on 28 November 2011. 

Solitary Sandpiper is accidental in SE Arizona after very early October.  Even in California there is only about one record year in November.  Solitary Sandpiper consists of two subspecies, the eastern form solitaria and the western form cinnamomea.  DNA studies suggest they may be separate species.  eBird data suggests that solitaria may tend to linger in the US longer than cinnomomea which raises some interesting questions about the subspecies of this bird.  However plumage differences are very subtle and ID is not always possible even in the hand.  In fresh plumage, solitaria has broad white tail bars, is olive above with heavier, buffy spots.  Its loral streak is solid.  In contrast, cinnomomea has narrower white tail bars, is grayer above with sparser cinnamon-white spotting and a spotted loral streak. 

09 November 2011, photo by Pat Goltz

28 November 2011, photo by Andrew Core

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